All for one and one for all
by FlamingGoldfish24
Summary: A sorceress hungry for power gives Arthur a choice: hand Merlin over or watch Camelot be destroyed. Desperate to save the city he's come to love Merlin is determined to surrender himself but Arthur won't give him up without a fight. (Angst and Merthur friendship!)


**so here's another Merlin! I'm just full of love for this show right now T.T look forward** **to seeing lots of angst, Merlin!Whump, and Merthur friendship :) also! If you ate reading my fic "He's just a kid with a stick" I have like 3 chapters coming. Hope you don't hate me yet T.T**

* * *

She stared into her cauldron, eyes narrowed as though it had personally wronged her. No matter how many times she whispered the spell it had no effect on the dark green liquid smattered in the pot, it continued to bubble slowly over the fire like a simple stew for dinner. Still, it was far from that, and even without the magic it was a deadly concoction. She needed more! More power. Lip curling into something like a hiss, the sorceress turned to an open book beside her, flipping the pages with long deft fingers until she stopped hesitantly on a page. The cat that perched lazily on the table leaned over sniffing disdainfully at the book as the old witch read. To enhance her spell she'd need the blood of a powerful witch or warlock. A spidery smile crept over her lips, silver eyes sparkling in the darkness of her underground cavern.

Thornell was far from foolish. She could smell the sorcerer in Camelot, smell the sweet scent of magic that they carelessly threw about.. Camelot _oozed_ magic, and it was clear whoever was hiding it was being far from discrete. Flaunting it. Magic like that would be enough to power her spell and leave her magic to spare for decades. Eyes glimmering in the dark she knelt and retrieved an old bowl from the floor and set it beside the cauldron, snatching up a variety of old potions and mixtures and swirling them into a mess of purple liquid. There was a white flash throughout the cavern as she grabbed the cat by the scruff it's neck, a sharp hiss resounding like a scream in the shadows. It was a quick strike, like lightning.

Thornell then slid a knife from the sleeve of her ragged tunic, pressing it to the heel of her palm. She sucked in a quick breath, pressing harder and slicing the knife along the soft flesh, wincing slightly. She held it over the bowl, a spell dripping from her lips along with the sparkling red of her blood, meeting the purple in a sizzle of black smoke. Somewhere in the old tongue a soft hiss of "_Camelot_." could be heard.

The mixture bubbled and rippled, an image coming to life on it's surface. A young man was sitting at a shabby table, talking cheerfully to some unseen companion, dark hair rumpled and blue eyes bright. About his neck was tied a blue neckerchief.

* * *

Merlin was surprisingly very talented. He was good at mixing herbs and potions, at casting spells and creating enchantments, and he _certainly_ considered being able to survive Arthur a talent. He had many hidden skills up his sleeve...talking easily to girls was one of them. But, unfortunately, understanding girls was not. Which was why he stuttered clumsily for a moment as he rounded a corner and smacked right into a servant girl.

"oh gosh, I'm sorry," he managed to blurt, fumbling to help rearrange her boxes back into her arms. He blinked in surprise when he recognized the girl.

"I'm starting to think you're following me." Merlin accused, grinning cheerfully. The servant girl laughed, shifting her grip on the boxes stacked in her arms. There were three, filled with all sorts of

Custom cookware, and a basket of fruit hung off her wrist.

"Hey _you_ ran into _me._" she countered.

"And it was all part of your plot, no doubt." Realization dawned on him and hastily reached for her boxes, wrestling them away despite her protests.

"Here, I can take them." he declared, a crooked smile gracing his lips as he stepped away with her burden.

"No, it's fine." she argued, reaching out even as Merlin escaped her hands. She was small and alarmingly thin, malnourished almost, yet her shoulders were broad and face bright. There was obvious evidence of a life of hard work and small rations, yet she managed to smile sincerely with mischievous eyes.

"Please, it's nothing a strong man can't handle."

"Oh, I didn't know Douglas was with you." she shot with a smirk. Merlin smiled and pretended her mention of the taller (and frankly better looking) servant didn't send a

twinge through his gut.

"Is it just me or have you gotten a bit of an attitude since we last talked?"

"You must be rubbing off on me." she answered simply, fidgeting with a bit of shyness that Merlin was too oblivious to notice. He opened his mouth ready with a quick retort but froze when a sudden irritated call rang out over the courtyard.

"_Me_rlin," Arthur commanded, voice haughty, "I'd like to set off before the day is over." the servant girl blinked in surprise, giving a small nod towards the King.

"Please pardon me for causing his delay, your majesty." she said, stealing her boxes away once more while Merlin was distracted. He turned his head away from her and faced Arthur so that all she saw was the back of his head. _Prat_ he mouthed angrily. Arthur held back a grin. Poor Merlin, can't get on with the ladies.

"Don't worry about it." the girl whispered softly, "Go on now, you've got work to do." Merlin smiled ruefully, and with a heartfelt apology he turned and hastily made his way to the impatient king, looking down from his horse's back.

"You couldn't have let me alone for even a moment?" Merlin muttered bitterly as they approached Arthur and the horses, "I've already packed provisions, prepared your armor, readied the horses _and_ made sure you were on one."

"A little touchy today, are we?" Arthur countered as Merlin clumsily mounted his horse.

"I was trying to help someone."

"And I didn't fail to notice that someone was a _her_." Arthur hinted suggestively. He lightly nudged his horse and it began a steady walk, Merlin at his side as they followed the trail into the forest.

"that _her_ has a name."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Merlin let a huff and rolled his eyes. He knew Arthur was just trying to get under his skin. It was a game the two seemed to play often, bantering back and forth with Arthur pushing just to see how much Merlin could take.

"Augustine."

Arthur smiled and raise his eyebrows. "And do you _fancy_ this Augustine?"

"What I'd really fancy is having a master who's not such a prat."

"you really are such a terrible manservant." Merlin scoffed and pretended to be greatly insulted. He rolled his eyes and with a quick flash of gold several acorns from an overhanging tree branch dropped down, smacking and bouncing off the top of Arthur's blonde head. Arthur grumbled something under his breath as he scratched the back of his head curiously and Merlin nearly choked to death trying to hold back his laughter. It was early morning and they were going out to casually inspect the boundary lines, packed and ready for a long day. The morning sun slowly dulled, giving way to early, then late, afternoon as the king and his manservant rode side by side into the trees.

* * *

"I thought you said this would be _fun._" Merlin muttered, shifting uncomfortably on his horse's back. It continued an easy stride beneath him as it had for hours, the muscles in it's back flexing against him as they strode onward.

"It _is_ fun." Arthur shot back. _If I have to go on this stupid patrol then so do you,_ he thought to himself childishly.

"Oh yes," Merlin agreed sarcastically, "Sweltering heat, ravenous bugs, and bumpy roads. I can see the fun in that."

"Oh stop your muttering." The King snapped.

"My apologies, your royal pratishness."

Arthur let out a huff, turning his head to hide the smile grin that tugged at his lips even in his irritation. Merlin was a good man, and a fair companion, but three hours with him on a hot day was a bit much. Their quick snaps were becoming less jesting and more serious as they began to get tired. The horses gently stepped along a narrow path worn into the forest, hooves tapping heavily over dirt.

"What is that _stench_?" Arthur demanded, putting a fist to his nose and scrunching his face up in disgust. It was unlike anything he'd smelled before, it was rot and grime and death. Had someone been killed? Arthur found his hand steadily reaching for his sword. Merlin was used to unpleasant smells living with the court physician, and (though he'd never admit it to Gaius) their residence could use a thorough...cleaning. Stll...Merlin gagged.

He lightly signaled his horse to stop, dropping himself to the ground with a thump. Arthur did the same, drawing his sword and standing tensely.

"Arthur?"

"Shhh." The two strained to hear anything but there was only silence and after a moment feeling completely ridiculous Merlin sighed and rolled his eyes, relaxing and beginning to search the brush. Arthur shook his head and sheathed his sword, joining his manservant in the search. A wave of rotting flesh smell attacked his nostrils as he approached a limp form, putting

The crook of his elbow to his nose and gasping in disgust. The old corpse of a cat lay broken and bloodied among the fallen leaves. Merlin's eyebrows drew together in sympathy as he inspected it, silently noting the cause of it's death. The tail had been cut off, and signs of deadly infection flared red around the wound. Arthur took one look and set his lips in a grim line.

"Sorcery."

Merlin blinked in surprise, straightening his posture.

"What makes you think it's magic?"

"oh come on Merlin," Arthur rolled his eyes, "what else could it possibly be?"

"an accident...?"

Arthur fixed him with a pointed look, hand once again moving for his sword. He circled the area, eyes searching for any trail that could lead them in the right direction.

A vine eased it's way along the ground unseen, curling

at Merlin's heels as he muttered quietly to himself. It shot out suddenly, wrapping around his ankle and writhing at his leg. He let out a yell as more tendrils rose from the Earth, grabbing mercilessly at his arms and pulling him backwards away from his king.

"Arthur!"

The king whirled, eyes wide as vines seemed to swallow Merlin like a great beast. He was at his side in a flash, sword swinging wildly. Green thorns lashed at the blade, wrapping around it and trying to pull it away. Arthur was having none of it and with a growl he wrenched it free, slicing furiously at Merlin's bonds.

A vine curled around the warlock's throat, tightening viciously and biting into his skin. Arthur freed his arms and his hands flew to his throat, clawing and struggling as he choked.

"I can't breath." Merlin wheezed desperately. Everything was going hazy, a blur dancing at the edges of his vision. Was he going to die here? Killed by a bush. Gwaine would get a laugh out of that. In desperation Arthur threw his sword down, hands scrambling to get Merlin's throat free. Vines dragged his ankles, pulling to separate them but Arthur stood firm.

"Merlin? Hold on I'll get them off you!" his manservant was just a heap of dark green tendrils now, a head in a pile of leaves.

"I...can't..."

With a roar of frustration Arthur jerked the vine so hard it tore and sent him tumbling to the ground. With Arthur no longer watching Merlin summoned the energy he had left and let out a burst of magic, eyes flashing gold. A spell dripped from his lips and the vines began to shrivel up, withering into black dust. Free at last he crumpled to the forest floor, gasping in panicky breaths, body shaking violently. Arthur hastily moved to his side, eyes checking for wounds. He eyed the bloody scratches on the manservant's arms with a quiet rage. Damn that sorcerer. He would find them. He would-

"-Have you been listening?" Merlin was staring at him, frowning in irritation. He had said something?

"of course." not.

Merlin raised a brow, suddenly looking remarkably like Gaius.

"I said I was fine. So stop looking like you're about to avenge my death or something. Still alive here." Arthur chuckled, standing and helping Merlin up with him.

"Still think it was an accident?"


End file.
